Birthday Present
by katskee
Summary: Seiya gives Kanata a birthday gift he will never forget. KanataXMiyu


It was a sunlit Christmas Eve morning and the festive Yuletide spirit was almost tangible in the town of Heiomachi. The snow covering the streets, trees, and roofs were slowly melting as sunrays kissed its surface, creating an effect of glimmering whites and golds. Though ninety-nine percent of its inhabitants were Buddhist and Shintoist, the townspeople were eagerly anticipating Christmas like all other Christian countries across the globe. Delighted girls were preparing for romantic Christmas dates and people in Father Christmas costumes were generously handing out presents to grateful passersby.

And Saionji temple was no different at all.

**Birthday Present**

_Late Birthday and Christmas fic for Kanata. I know a New Year fic will be more appropriate but there are still bits of Christmas spirit in the air. At least here. XD_

Kanata had never celebrated Christmas before as respect to his father's status, but that year his father had made it clear that he could enjoy the season too, just like everybody else. This had turned Miyu almost instantly into a we-must-decorate-the-temple mode, with burning mania to boot, so Kanata had to endure a morning of tripping on scattered Christmas balls (courtesy of little Ruu) and wrestling against self-twisting garlands (which Wannya had specifically ordered from the Space Mail-Order Service).

Kanata had nothing against Miyu's overenthusiastic decorating campaign – in fact he secretly enjoyed watching her, Ruu, and Wannya gleefully adorning the dull temple with glittering and colorful decors – but he was nursing too many injuries already, and he did not really fancy celebrating his birthday the next day in black and blue.

"That's what you get for being such a lazy-ass," Miyu grumbled tetchily when he started laying down his complaints, "If you would just put that darn manga down and help us here then you could have had a bruise-free morning."

"Oh really? Then what's that bump on your forehead then, an overgrown pimple?" Kanata snorted and, as if on cue, the blonde girl glowered dangerously at him, seething. Brown eyes met green, and both were looking daggers. Miyu was about to throw a mini-snowman figurine at the brown-haired boy when someone called at the door. Agitated footsteps followed and in just a few seconds a familiar face addressed the household.

"Miyu! Kanata!" Seiya entered the house without invitation, greeting the residents with a saccharine smile. He was carrying a big baggage on his back, and with his red jacket and equally red pants (which, Kanata thought wearily, Seiya wore in honor of the occasion) he could have passed as the teenage Santa Claus, if there was one. "Hi there Ruu, Wannya," he added as the adorable baby flew to his side.

"Seiya! What are you doing here?" exclaimed Miyu, immediately forgetting her anger as she merrily returned the visitor's greeting.

"I asked him to help us in decorating," said Wannya, "Master Ruu loves these Christmas decors so I asked Seiya to bring more!"

"Looks like I'm not needed though," said Seiya, smiling timidly as his bluish white orbs surveyed the twisting garlands that were crawling on the walls and ceiling. Kanata could only nod in assent, but Miyu failed to notice that and cried, "C'mon, don't say that Seiya! These things are _lovely_!" And she was already rummaging through the contents of Seiya's baggage.

Decors like they had never seen before were crammed inside the blonde boy's bag, all too flashy and noisy for what was supposed to be a solemn but joyful celebration of Yuletide. Kanata could see that the emerald-eyed girl was slightly doubtful about the safety of those animated lanterns, but Miyu, being the reckless and clumsy Miyu, brushed away all hesitations and decided that the decors were really amazing and that she couldn't wait to hang them all.

Kanata groaned inwardly. The temple was vandalized enough without Seiya bringing more cosmic garbage in. He sighed in silent defeat and left the room without a word, scowling as he passed Miyu and Seiya, their faces barely inches apart as they discuss random things he had no interest in knowing. Shutting the sliding door more forceful than necessary, his departure was left unnoticed by the decorating company.

_It would be a really long day._

* * *

"Wow!!!" Miyu admired their finished product from outside, "It's wonderful!!!"

"That's a matter of opinion," muttered Kanata as he held Ruu back from flying too high, but luckily the girl did not hear his snide comment. Seiya and Wannya chuckled nervously. If Miyu's idea of 'wonderful' was a temple turned into a Las Vegas casino, then that _really_ was a matter of opinion.

"Well, I think we _did_ overdo it though," added Seiya sheepishly.

"Oh, don't be silly. Let's go inside, I made a special fruitcake for everyone!" said Miyu in a sing-song voice.

"A fruitcake?! You don't mean the sweetened charcoal in the refrigerator, do you?" Kanata snapped and Miyu's eyes flashed danger as she turned to face the brown-eyed boy.

"How do you know it's sweet? You tasted it, huh?" she hissed through gritted teeth.

"Well, just so you know there's already an anthill beside it. I pity the ants though, I'm sure they never expected poison!" and they continued to bicker on their way back to the house. Wannya, with Ruu in his arms, followed in tow while Seiya brought up the rear, watching his two friends with great amusement. Ruu was yawning already, his wide eyes drooping so the pet-sitter excused himself as he carried his young master to his room.

Kanata and Miyu's endless squabble filled the corridor, both oblivious to their surroundings. As they drew nearer the kitchen Seiya spotted something on top of the doorway, and his lips broke into a wide grin.

* * *

"You shouldn't have wasted the fruits then, when you meddle with them they became inedible!" 

"Ha-ha! Very funny Mr. Gourmet!"

"Why thank you, at least you appreciate my culinary skills that you will never have!"

"Jerk! Don't think so highly of yourse- what the heck?!" they both stopped, feeling something was wrong. Miyu tried to drag her feet forward, but they seemed glued on the floor. Kanata couldn't move away too, it was as though an invisible force was restraining them.

"What's happening? Why can't we move away?" Kanata asked as he continued his futile attempt to lift his feet. They both tried to get away from that spot, but the floor would not yield.

"Well, there's a _mistletoe_ on top of you two," said Seiya in mock innocence, failing to conceal a knowing smirk as he pointed over them.

"SO WHAT?" the two snapped in unison. Hanging decors were the least of their worries now.

"Oh, but didn't you know?" Seiya's eyes glinted maliciously, "It's a tradition here on Earth – you _have_ to kiss each other if you're under a mistletoe, right?" At this Miyu and Kanata turned into a violent shade of crimson. Of course they knew that tradition! But Seiya was making it sound as though it was a _requirement_.

"C'mon Seiya, stop saying stupid things and help us here!" yelled Miyu, her voice faltering at the end.

"But dear Miyu I already gave you my help. You have to kiss Kanata if you two want to get out of that thing."

"WHAT?!" the two hollered, blushing harder, if that was possible.

"Surely there's another way!"

"Why do _I _have to kiss _him_?!"

"Well Kanata, there's no other way unless you want pull the mistletoe off and blow your house into pieces, and Miyu, _you_ have to kiss him because this mistletoe has pink berries on it."

"And so?!" she barked angrily, and guessing where their discussion would lead to, cursed the weird mistletoe (_why does it have berries anyway?_) under her breath.

"If the berries are pink it means the girl has to give the kiss, if it's blue then the boy will give the kiss, and if it's purple that means you're of the same gender and could free yourself from humiliation."

Kanata and Miyu stared at Seiya for a long moment, their racing heartbeats almost audible. Seiya beamed expectantly at Miyu as the girl stammered for words. _She _couldn't do this to Kanata! And besides, neither of them wanted to do it! _Right?_

Miyu looked at Seiya and then to Kanata, her face burning. They couldn't stay like that forever so she had to do something. Breathing heavily, she asked Seiya uncertainly, "Are you really sure about this? You're not pulling our leg?"

Seiya grinned broadly at her, "Positive." Kanata remained quiet, still unable to believe how incredulous the situation they were stuck into.

Miyu looked at Kanata again and she thought she was going to faint. Kanata was looking at her too, his face as red as hers. It did seem that there was really no other way, and they both knew it. Accepting the fact that they couldn't do anything else, Miyu took a deep breath, mustering all the courage she could get. Gulping, she told Seiya to look away or she would skin him alive, and the alien obliged reluctantly.

"W-well, o-of course this would mean nothing. I-I'm sorry if you have t-to be stuck with me, of all people," Miyu rambled, her heart jumping out of her chest. Kanata was about to say something but his words were caught in his throat. He just watched her as she clutched his arm for support as she tried to stand on tiptoe, but her feet won't let her so she gently pulled him to her. It seemed like eternity, Miyu's face drew nearer, the distance between them closing…

"D-don't hate me for t-this," she whispered almost inaudibly, but Kanata heard her clear. Chest thumping she closed her eyes and for a very brief moment she let their lips touch. Kanata felt his insides do a series of wild somersaults and for a second feared that Miyu would feel it too. She pulled away as quickly as it had happened, and his mind automatically noted how soft her lips felt against his.

There was a _ching! _and they were free again. Seiya was facing them, and whether he really looked away or not, Kanata did not know. The shock from what had transpired immobilized them again, and it was only when Seiya spoke that they fully realized that they could already walk.

Seiya was watching them, enjoyment dancing in his eyes. "Well, that was a good one Miyu, but a kiss on the cheek would do, you know." Kanata knew Seiya was enjoying this. Miyu's jaw dropped. She stammered like a goldfish but was too embarrassed to say something sensible so she just looked away from the two boys and hurried inside the kitchen, crashing some pots and chinas on the way.

Kanata watched her go, his heart still beating awfully fast. He remembered what she said before their lips touched, and unconsciously he was relieving the kiss in his mind's eye, the gentle feeling prompting his insides to do more flip-flops. His heart skipped a jolt when he realized that he wasn't feeling sorry at all, that he was actually happy she was the one stuck with him.

The grandfather's clock chimed midnight, bringing back Kanata to earth. Quickly he tried to repress his more-than-friendly thoughts toward the blonde girl, but failed miserably when a grinning Seiya came up to him and whispered, "What do you think about Miyu's lips, Kanata? Is my birthday present good?"

He _had_ to blush at that. It was the best birthday gift he had ever had.


End file.
